We all need a little simplicity in our lives. Despite an incredible amount of pressure to the contrary, this is true for the most talented and successful individuals as much as it is for anyone else.
Talent and ability are like magnets for responsibility, and not just those responsibilities that focus on our core strengths. When we do well at one thing, opportunities outside of our wheelhouse come flying out of nowhere and stick to us like leeches. If we’re not able to protect our time and focus, we slowly suck ourselves dry.
In the book The One Thing, authors Gary Keller and Jay Papasan lay out their case for focusing on the one thing you are truly good at, and letting that focus drive your life and career. Life’s too short and there are too many opportunities out there for any of us to get mired in tasks that we just don’t have a knack for.
As we think about some of the best presenters we know, we see this principle at work. Presenting, by its very nature, demands expertise. It’s a poor presentation that comes off as scripted and memorized—the only two ways someone could possibly speak on a subject they know little about. When we listen to someone present, we want to see natural ease and expertise, not a mouthpiece for someone else’s stats and figures.
One of the best things an emerging (or established) presenter can do is resist the urge to take on opportunities outside of their core skill set—and believe us, when you start nailing presentations, the opportunities really do come out of left field. Many people, flattered by any opportunity to stand on stage and represent ideas, shoulder these opportunities too quickly, and the inevitable result is presentations that lack the spark of a true expert speaking on a subject that is both their core knowledge set and their passion.
As you look ahead to where you’re going with your presentation career, take time to assess yourself and what you really want to specialize in. It’s better to take on fewer responsibilities, but to do them really, really well, than it is to grab everything that comes your way and develop a reputation for being average.
Question: How do you protect your “brand” by declining certain opportunities?
